NaNoWriMo Summary Document Student Model

9) Subplot

Example:

Al sat on his bed, leaned against the backboard, thinking deeply. It had only been two days since Vince and him took a break from the con. The screen of a computer displaying money in their account lingered in  his mind.

A few yells rang through the thin walls, a woman and a man attacking each other verbally. But just like the ocean for some, Al had gotten used to his parents fighting. If one didn’t hear the other it would lead to divorce options.

Al silently opened his door. He tip toed down the hall and made his way outside; he felt like moving. Al walked down the main streets, peeking into windows, glancing in shops. He later discovered himself slipping through the alleys of town, the cool air caused him to daydream on the way.

Looking around he found himself in front of the Detroit Trust, its shadows towering over him. Al laughed at himself silently. Thoughts of wealth had only brought him to the place he got it all. He glanced down the street, a bus stop and lamp post creaked in the wind.

He tried to walk away but he discovered himself paralysed, looking at the bank. He knew what riches it held, and how easy he could grasp it.  But what about Vincent? If Al were to do anything he would get the both of them in trouble and he knew it.

But what to think of Vince’s checkbook scheme…

Albert turned his head yet again to see someone sitting on the bus stop bench, it was Vincent.

Why it is a strong example:

        While this is not all the action and adventure of Vincent’s view on things, I believe this short glance into another main character’s life is quite helpful to the story.

        In the actual story when Al and Vince take a break from their con, Vincent ends up betraying Albert in some way by going against his wishes. This happens when, after sitting on the bench contemplating for an hour, Vince goes in the bank and steals a check book. In the subplot you can see that Al too was tempted, but you can see the better in him, that he knew he could not do anything that would harm his friend. All of this shows the difference between the two characters, when before it seemed like none.

10) Time shift (flashback, flashforward, foreshadowing, or time manipulation)

Example:

Quickly after that I think back to my mom’s death the day my life drastically fell apart. My dad and my mom and I were at our table when my mom yelled out in pain grabbing her chest. “Carl!” she yelled out. My dad was automatically upon her carrying her out and putting her in the car. I sat at home for hours sometimes weeping, sometimes hoping. All the time worrying for my mom. Hours flew by in the matters of seconds and I saw the door creak open. My dad slowly opened and my dad walked in. “Dad,” I whispered, “Is she okay?”

It was minutes before he responded,”No son, your mom is dead.” I feel the pain again and again in my mind and I head back into reality. I start crying.

Why it is a strong example:

This is a strong example of a flask back because it explains why Alex’s life is in pieces. It gives input and tells the reader what event in the past that affected and changed him into who he is now in the present. In this flashback we see a flashback to when his mom died. After the flashback we see him broken therefore we can see that he cared about his mom a lot. We can infer from the flashback that his mom’s death transform him into who he is through the rest on the novel.